29. Stay Still, I’ll Tie It
On the day of the formal meeting.
Riley woke up early and busied herself with preparations.
Madame Blanche had brought along several designers she worked with to help with her appearance, and it took a full three hours to finish everything.
She changed outfits dozens of times, styled her hair just as many times, and repeatedly reapplied her makeup, leaving no flaw in sight. She poured all her effort into achieving a perfect look.
Finally, everything was ready.
“Insignia? Of course! Will the wedding be there too…? From what I know, the Insignia Wedding Hall is one of the finest venues. It’s even where the Second Princess recently held her ceremony.”
The Insignia Hotel.
It made sense that this would be the venue for the formal meeting—it was one of the top hotels in the Empire and also owned by Givnen.
Richel felt as excited as if she were the one attending the meeting. Her voice brimmed with praise as she spoke about Insignia.
“It’s really wonderful. I’ve heard they have a whole team of top-tier chefs—you know, chefs on par with those in the royal kitchen. The dinners are almost like art… The top floors are the royal suites, accessible only to the most special VIPs. I wonder what that’s like… They even have incredible magical tools, far more than here. Even though this place is comfortable, that place… it’s truly art. You’d feel like your quality of life has skyrocketed.”
Richel smiled warmly and brought over a full-length mirror.
“Look, miss. All your hard work has paid off. You’re absolutely stunning!”
Riley, who had expected only minor changes, was shocked at the reflection in the mirror.
The black dress struck the perfect balance—neither too flashy nor too plain—and her hair was neatly pinned up. With makeup she’d never tried before, she hardly recognized herself. Every detail showed careful attention. She finally understood why professionals existed and why people put effort into appearances. A simple outfit could make someone look entirely different.
“…All that effort was worth it.”
“You look perfect. Not too much, not too little. It’s exactly right for a formal meeting. Truly, a professional makes all the difference.”
“Indeed.”
Since this was an important occasion, dressing appropriately was a matter of courtesy. With this preparation, neither her uncle’s side nor Givnen’s family could find fault.
Satisfied with her appearance, Riley turned around. Richel supported her and reached out a hand.
“It’s almost time for the master to arrive. Shall we head down?”
Wearing unfamiliar clothes still felt awkward.
The moment Riley stepped forward, she tensed slightly. Her body felt stiff, as if her clothes didn’t fit her properly.
Fortunately, she had previously learned how to walk properly in formal attire. Otherwise, she might have stumbled and looked ridiculous within just a few steps.
As Riley struggled down the stairs, the door opened and Givnen appeared.
He was visibly shocked by her awkward gait—so much so that it was almost embarrassing to watch.
Riley was certain that it was her clumsy walking that caused his reaction.
“Sorry, these shoes are uncomfortable. Am I walking funny?”
Instead of answering, Givnen reached out his hand.
Riley placed her hand on top of his in response, and he gently kissed the back of her hand. Then he squinted his eyes slightly and said:
“It’s serious.”
“…?”
“Seriously, it suits you.”
Riley, who had been tense, suddenly relaxed as if the tension had drained away.
“…You startled me.”
“This is the look I was supposed to keep just for myself.”
Givnen’s gaze drifted downward, then hesitated.
“…What’s wrong?”
He stepped closer, and in an instant, the distance between them closed. His hand reached for Riley’s waist.
The unfamiliar touch made her flinch and immediately tense again.
“It’s loose.”
Looking down, Riley saw that the ribbon at her waist had come undone, neither tied nor fully loose, barely clinging to her body—probably loosened when she wobbled earlier.
“Stay still, I’ll tie it.”
“….”
She could feel his hands on her back.
Imagining those long, bony fingers tying the ribbon made her a little embarrassed. She lowered her head to hide her flushed face, but couldn’t stop focusing on his hands behind her.
The closeness was intense. Their height difference placed his breath near her head.
The calm rhythm of his breathing. The soft rustle of fabric as he worked. Such mundane actions, yet somehow it made her heart race.
A simple act of kindness. His hands were not quite skilled at tying the knot neatly, yet she felt an inexplicable thrill.
Why? Am I crazy?
Riley berated herself for overthinking. This wasn’t some romantic longing—it was just his hand, after all.
“All done.”
His unusually large hands. Hands she had barely noticed before.
Now she saw they were long and slender, veins slightly protruding. For some reason, she thought they looked especially… sexy today, and she quickly shook her head in disbelief.
“Why?”
She forced her eyes away from his hands.
“Nothing. Let’s go, we’re running late.”
Upon arriving at the reception venue, Insignia, they were greeted by Ryan and his wife, along with Claire, who had gone all out with her appearance.
Ribne and Givnen’s father, Elton, hadn’t arrived yet, leaving their seats empty.
“You look beautiful, Riley.”
Ryan greeted her warmly. Riley stared at him briefly, then timidly nodded and looked away.
‘…Disgusting.’
Though she had gained some immunity from prior meals with him, today she felt a strong aversion to Ryan.
It was the formal meeting after all. If her father were alive, she would be holding his hand and happily seated here. But today, her parents were Ryan and the Baroness.
The people who had never let her call them mother or father were now the ones she had to acknowledge as such. Their warm, smiling demeanor—like loving parents sending off a daughter—made her blood boil even more.
She suddenly missed her father.
If only she could have come here holding his hand, today would have been truly happy.
Was there no magic to summon the dead? If only she could see her father, even just that once…
“I’ll quickly go to the restroom.”
“Go ahead, but hurry—your in-laws will arrive soon.”
In-laws? They weren’t even officially married yet. How ridiculous.
Riley wanted this meeting to go smoothly, but she also wondered how they’d react if it were ruined. Painful as it was, it might feel relieving in a strange way.
As she washed her hands, Claire entered.
Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Riley assumed Claire was here to provoke her. Surprisingly, Claire seemed unusually gentle.
“Nervous?”
“….”
“It’s normal to be nervous at a place like this. Don’t worry too much. It’ll go well.”
What’s gotten into her? Did yesterday’s meal upset her?
Until yesterday, she had been fierce.
“What do you think? Will this formal meeting go smoothly?”
“…I don’t know.”
“I think it’ll be a disaster.”
Smiling innocently while cursing—typical. Not surprising at all.
Riley shook water from her hands casually.
“Someone might think you’re the main character of today’s meeting, not me.”
“…What?”
“You said it yourself. If it’s doomed to fail, why dress up so nicely? There’s no one here who’ll notice you anyway.”
Claire’s face flushed red. Riley smiled and looked her up and down.
“Why? Trying to catch the eyes of other men at Insignia?”
“…What?”
“You said it yourself. A woman’s success is measured by marrying well. I was just pointing that out.”
“Yeah… and look at you. You married well and enjoy every luxury, so why can’t I?”
“There’s nothing stopping you. But… do you really think this outfit will impress anyone here?”
“…What?”
“You look… maybe even very tacky.”
Claire snapped in protest.
“You had a professional designer handle everything from head to toe!”
“Exactly. Who’s denying it? I’m just saying your outfit looks tacky.”
“…You’re unbearable.”
“And you, ruining the moment, are even more unbearable.”
“Hah! I didn’t expect you to be so cruel and mean!”
“Yeah, I was surprised too. I should have realized earlier that the fierce girl I feared was actually so foolish.”
“I’ll ruin this meeting no matter what! Got it?”
Riley washed her hands calmly, ignoring Claire’s shouts, then spoke with quiet confidence:
“Go ahead.”
“….”
“You can handle it, right?”
Claire huffed, then laughed.
“You really take after that obnoxious guy. They say lovers resemble each other, but you only inherited the bad traits!”
“Obnoxious guy? You mean my husband?”
“Yep, he’s really a complete fraud inside and out.”
“…You might be the only one worse.”
“Hey!”
Riley stepped aside and returned to the dining room where the meeting was held.
She expected Claire to make a scene, but given the setting, Claire quietly sat down, still red-faced.
They waited for a while.
The dining room doors opened wide. A red carpet stretched from the entrance to the hall as someone entered. Everyone stood.
‘That must be Givnen’s father… Duke Elton Lianster.’
Ribne’s presence was striking, but the head of the Lianster family in all black left everyone speechless.
A middle-aged man, roughly Ryan’s age, looked exactly like Givnen. If Givnen aged this way, he’d look just like him. Nature’s genetics were truly frightening—beans sprout where beans are planted.
Elton’s tall, imposing figure radiated the family’s authority and an untouchable weight.
“I’m a bit late, my apologies.”
Bear? Tiger?
He entered, yet appeared like a wild beast. His low voice made even casual words feel threatening.
“Have you waited long?”
“Oh, no, Your Grace! We just arrived.”
Everyone, except the Liansters, was tense in his presence, including Riley.
His height, build, and fierce expression were intimidating.
Maybe… a lot… I might be scared.
“Sit.”
Both families took their seats.
Only then did Elton turn his gaze to Riley, seated beside Givnen.
“I hear you already know Ribne.”
“…Yes, we met before.”
“I see. So the unfilial son didn’t show me?”
Givnen retorted briefly.
“I was busy.”
“Even if busy, you could have found time to introduce your bride to me.”
“And now we have.”
“This isn’t what I meant by a formal occasion.”
“There’s nothing I can do, the son is too busy.”
“What an unfilial boy.”
The situation felt less like a formal meeting and more like a father-son showdown.
Noticing Ryan, his wife, and Claire watching, Elton cleared his throat and straightened up.
“Let’s start by introducing ourselves.”
The families briefly introduced themselves. Ryan went first, followed by Ribne.
After the formalities, silence fell again. The atmosphere was as awkward as the relationships.
Normally smooth-talking Ryan kept his mouth shut this time. Could this really be the same man calling someone ‘in-laws’ just minutes ago?
As food was served, Elton observed Riley closely and spoke in a low voice:
“My dear.”
“!”
Riley froze mid-bite. She nearly choked.
What? Did I just hear that? That word… it felt monumental.
She stammered like a broken machine:
“Me? Are you…?”
Elton nodded.
“Who else would ‘my dear’ refer to here?”
Riley stared at him with a stunned, dumbfounded expression.
The unexpected term left quite an impact—not just for Riley.
Everyone paused mid-meal, all eyes on Elton as if it had been planned.
